1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West

Written by Roger Crowley

Narrated by Simon Prebble

Now in audiobook format, a gripping exploration of the fall of Constantinople and its connection to the world we live in today

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 signaled a shift in history, and the end of the Byzantium Empire. Roger Crowley's readable and comprehensive account of the battle between Mehmed II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and Constantine XI, the 57th emperor of Byzantium, illuminates the period in history that was a precursor to the current jihad between the West and the Middle East.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: Aug 9, 2016
• ISBN: 9781478913962

Reviews for 1453

[shanetierney_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Engaging style, but plays fast and loose, e.g. Constantinople's interactions with Rome, concurrent events in Europe, and especially with terminology like "rifles", "muskets", "galleys", which a serious historian would not have done. Decent and readable though.

[dhmontgomery-265379 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A fine, if at times sensationalistic, recounting of the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman armies in 1453. Crowley largely limits himself to telling the narrative of events, based on the various (at times unreliable or contradictory) written sources by eyewitnesses or contemporary historians. A richer book would have looked at the why as well as the what, exploring the structural factors behind the rise of the Ottomans from disaster a mere generation before (when they were crushed by Tamerlane), behind the Byzantine decline, behind the Italian presence in the east, etc. But 1453 wasn't bad for lacking this, merely less deep than it could have been. Read this to get the story and look elsewhere for the meaning.

[pbjwelch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

To be honest, I had hoped for more than just the tale of the fall of Constantinople. For example, I had read somewhere that it was because of the fall of the 'Eastern Rome' (Constantinople) that Ptolemy's lost Geographia had been re-found to the West. This geography, written by Ptolemy in the 1-2C AD using 8,000 known geographic points was instrumental in helping Europe launch its cceanic explorations that eventually led to the rounding of the Cape of Good Hope in 1488 and Vasco de Gama's landing in Calicut 10 years later. But there was no mention of the map or where it might have been stored, or smuggled or rescued from the city, if the story is even true. Nor were there any other ties to broader topics aside from a half-page of how the invention of the printing press helped fan the flame of European Xenophobia. So if you are looking for more than the day-by-day story of the siege of Constantinople--riveting as it is--this isn't the book. On the other hand, it's a ripping good story full of bloodshed and brave deeds, and a fast (especially if you skip all the repetitive bits) and easy read, so if you were asleep in World History, this is an easy way to fill in the gap.

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my third Crowley book and least favorite, even though it's his most popular (by LibraryThing ownership stats) and his first book. Still, it is informative and entertaining. Chronologically it falls somewhere between City of Fortune and Empires of the Sea, it would be good to read them in order as it gives broader historical context. This book is focused on a single event, the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, which is truly seismic as it kicked off centuries of conflict between Europe and the Ottoman Turks, which to some degree is still ongoing; and shifted European attention away from the east and outward into the Atlantic. Stories about Medieval sieges are like dramatic genre novels, if you read enough of them they often follow similar scripts and events. This is the mother of sieges in sheer scale - of the walls, numbers of combatants, the size of the weapons, the stakes (real and figurative). I'm glad to have read about it in more detail as it's one of those things you can't avoid, it is one of the core markers of the end of the Middle Ages and start of the Early Modern period.

[glennbell_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author did an excellent job on his research and presented the information in a chronological and interesting manner. I learned a great deal about this important battle that is not available in history books. I was made to feel the pain and struggle of the combatants. I recommend the book but the reader must have interest in a detailed history although the story telling manner of the book helps widen the potential audience.

[jcbrunner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Roger Crowley's pageturner gets good mileage out of presenting the fall of Constantinople as a decisive and open moment. In reality, it was not a "clash of Islam and the West", as the West chose not to involve itself for the leftover city of the Byzantine Empire. All the surrounding areas had already been gobbled up by the Ottoman Empire. Similar to Monty Python's black knight unwilling to admit defeat, the Byzantine ruling class decided to go down fighting instead of adopting the pragmatic solution of the hard-nosed Genoese who observed the siege in safety across the Golden Horn.

Minus the fake clash of civilizations bit (much cherished by conservatives everywhere), Crowley's account is a quick and enjoyable read.

[janerawoof · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An eminently readable and detailed account of the May 1453 Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire. I enjoyed this account and learned much.

Background to the conflict was presented, then the personalities of the two protagonists, Constantine XI, aged 49, and Mehmet II, a boy of 21. We are taken through the conflict, point by point. There are many quotes from accounts of that period. The Ottomans have swallowed up most of the Byzantine Empire already; but Mehmet thinks of himself as a new Alexander. Instead of heading east, he turns his thoughts to the west, Constantinople being a convenient launching pad to any further conquests. We see preparations for a protracted siege. Mehmet's army is the first professionally paid army since that of the classical Romans. Byzantines, along with Venetian and Genoese enclaves, prepare for defense. Mehmet finds two weak spots in the fortifications and by concentrating on them, after many days, successfully besieges the city. The strong many-layered fortification and water on many sides fail to protect. Mehmet uses the classic siege techniques: a fleet, blockade, and most successfully, artillery bombardment, with giant cannons. Siege towers, a more sophisticated version of the old Roman viniae fail, as well as tunneling under the walls. The author considers this continued bombardment of the walls "the world's first concerted artillery bombardment." Mehmet's soldiers portaging their fleet overland since the Golden Horn was blocked with a boom was absolutely incredible! You have to admire Constantine for refusing to desert his people when he had a chance to escape and for fighting alongside them, although he knew the fight was probably hopeless.

Attention is given to the superstition, 'portents' and 'prophecies' of the Byzantines. A partial eclipse, St. Elmo's fire on one of the churches and a thick fog rushing in are signs that God has abandoned them. The author conjectures that an island in the Pacific had blown itself up earlier in the year; the bad weather is fallout. The author calls this the "Krakatoa of the Middle Ages." After the defeat, we read about Mehmet's legacy and of subsequent events. The maps of the area and of Constantinople 1453 were very useful and helped me visualize.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A little bit more military history than I typically go for, but a good look at a turning point in history. The author does a good job of bringing together the politics and religious aspects that played into the military defeat of Constantinople in 1453. The details of the defenses and siege tactics make this book a good read for someone who wants to delve into the details of Constantinople and the Ottoman army in 1453. I would recommend this book to someone interested in this history, but not for a casual read.

[birdbrian-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Like the city of Constantinople itelf, the events in this book are very complex. In his analysis of the seige, Roger Crowley skillfully follows several strings:

TECHNOLOGY
The Byzantines successfully defended Constantinople for centuries against repeated assaults from the Near East. When Arab forces seemed almost certain to take the city in 678, a highly-classified weapon called "Greek Fire" saved the day. Greek fire was essentially a napalm-like substance made from wet sand and surface oil found in abundance in certain areas along the Black Sea coast. When ignited and sprayed (with leather bladders) on an enemy ship, it almost guaranteed destruction of that vessel. Mastry of technology served the Byzantines well in the seventh century, but that lesson was not lost on the Turks. In preparing for the seige of 1453, the young sultan Mehmet invested substantially on new cutting-edge technologies: gun powder, and the latest metallurgical techniques to cast ever-larger cannons. In fact, Mehmet hired the services of a Hungarian master to cast him a bronze "super cannon", larger than had ever been attempted before (and which pushed the limits of the day's technology). His investment paid off handsomely, as the super cannon devestated the once-invincible city walls.


If things were bad above ground, they were just as bad below. Although mining technology and its military applications were well-known by 1453, Crowley spends considerable time describing the cat-and-mouse interplay between Mehmet's hired Serbian expert miners and the Byzantine counterforces. Turkish forces employed miners to weaken the foundations of Constantinople's protective walls, and to try to establish and underground route for Jannisary soldiers to enter the city. The Greeks fought back with their own miners, who would locate the Serbs and either enter their tunnels with deadly force, or (circumstances allowing) merely collapse the tunnels with the Serbs inside. I had never heard of Medieval mining warfare techniques before, so I found this part fascinating.

The maritime defense of Constantinople was no happier than the situation on land. Although cosmopolitan in nature, the city was culturally more Greek than anything else. As the original seafaring superpower, it seems natural to assume these Greeks would have primacy on the waters. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Maritime technology was on the cusp of revolution. Although small sailing and wind-powered vessels were well-known from prehistory, this technology was not easily applied to larger vessels. From the days of [author:Thucydides|957], the dominant ships in both commerce and warfare were galleys powered by the muscles of men. Their superior maneuverability, and frequently superior speed, made them the preeminent nautical fighting platform. Alexander and the Romans had both ruled the Agean and the Mediterranean with oared galleys, and the Byzantines did not consider this model could be improved upon. Alas, the world was changing, and the Ottomans were changing with it, leaving the Greeks behind. Advances in maritime design were starting to produce sailing ships with speed and maneuverablility that could begin to compete- even eclipse the performance of the oared longboats. Unlike past conflicts, the Greeks no longer had the advantage of decisive naval superiority.




GEOGRAPHY
Edward Gibbon stresses over and over in [book:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire|19400] that Constantinople is uncommonly blessed with geographic features which favor the city's defense. That is one reason Constantine I chose the site to found his new Roman capital, in the mid 4th century A.D. It is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Bosphorus, which itself is narrow, and surrounded by steep cliffs which make it relatively easily to defend. Past Arab assaults did not duely appreciate this, but the meticulous Mehmet recognized it. He neutralized the Greek advantage by constructing the "throat cutter" -a fortress at the north end of the Bosphorus, to control passage of friends and foes from the Black Sea.
In the more immediate theater of action, the "Golden Horn" inlet protects the northern shore of Constantinople... at least it always had in the past. A chain barrier had always prevented enemy ships from entering this region and posing a threat. In an inspired move, Ottoman forces undertook a massive overland portage to bypass the chain, and apply force at this weak spot. This diverted defensive forces away from the walls and ditch which compose the Western bulwark of the city- traditionally it's weakest area.
While the local geography favored the defense, on the larger scale it favored the offense. By the 15th century, Constantinople was a relatively remote outpost of Christianity and European culture (to the extent that "European" culture as an identifiable brand existed at that time). There were no natural political or military allies in the immediate environment. The time and resources needed to transport armies from Western Europe made alliances difficult to establish, and impossible to enforce, even as kingdoms as far afield as France and Spain appreciated Constantinople as a bulwark against Islamic intrusions from the East. They were simply never willing or able to offer material help to defend the city, when it was needed. Italian powers in Rome, Venice, and Genoa were both wealthier and closer, and they too acknowledged the Contantinople's continued well-being as a vital interest, yet contributed no aid when word of the seige came.


THE PLAYERS
Constantinople has been cosmopolitan in nature for as long as it has been on the map. It sits at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. It is the major commercial destination of myriad trade routes. It has existed in the spheres of Roman, Greek, Persian, Arab, Scythian, Egyptian, Venetian, Genoan and Ottoman influences. For centuries, nothing of any import went down in that city without affecting half a dozen or more nations. Naturally, this was never more true than at the seige of 1453. The destiny of Turks, Byzantines (Greeks), Venetians, Genoese, Hungarians, Serbs, Bulgars, Egyptians, Arabs, and the Christian authorities in the Vatican were all intimately tied to the Constantinople. When it fell, Venice and Genoa lost important trade franchises along the Black Sea shoreline. The Ottoman Empire, with its roots in Central Asia, would continue to ride the momentum for another 200 years, extending its empire as far inland as Vienna before it crested. Islam spread with force through much of Southeastern Europe, serving to, er, balkanize- the Bulkans. While it is true that Muslim forces (known then as Saracens) had penetrated as far as northern France in the 8th century, they never had staying power. Now, with a permanent military, financial, and cultural base in the European theater, the Ottomans were a longstanding force to be reckoned with, and would remain intact up to World War I.

If my review seems a disjointed or unfocused, please don't let that influence your opinion of the book. Crowley deftly covers these topics and much, much more in the fluid, comfortable narrative of a master storyteller. While the focus of the book is on a very narrowly defined set of events, Crowley's analysis spills over into many related subjects. The result is a "big picture" view of history, touching on the Christian-Muslim tensions over several centuries, internecine European struggles of the day, the history and significance of several evolving technologies, politics, commerce, and a microcosm of military strategies. In short, I feel like I've read several books after finishing this. Typically, something this information-dense can become tedious reading (again, Gibbon's [book:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire|19400] comes to mind), but that wasn't my experience. In fact, this book went down fast, and was an absolute pleasure to read!

[fist_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thrilling account of the inevitable fall of Constantinople. The battle is described in vivid detail,like a scene from The Lord of the Ring II. Yet the author doesn't get carried away with Greek irredentism or military minutiae, but also covers the emotional states of the various parties involved in the siege, from the Emperor and Sultan down to the soldiers and people in the City. I got totally immersed by the suspense of it all, and though I know the history of Istanbul, in between reads I found myself wondering what would happen next and how it would end; that's how freshly it is told. Highly recommended.

[gordopolis_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author tells the story of the death throes of Byzantium with a vivid narrative. The army is barely more than a rag-tag militia supplemented by mercenaries supplied by neighbouring states almost in pity at the state of the once-great empire; the navy is virtually non-existant, with rotting hulks of vessells too expensive to maintain lying semi-submerged in the Golden Horn. All that stands between the Ottoman armies and the end of Byzantium are the decrepit walls of Constantinople and a few spirited individuals who refuse to let the imperial flame be extinguished. Indeed, the description of Emperor Palaeologus fighting alongside the peasants on the city walls is as evocative an image as I can remember.

A top read that flows like fiction.

[shrike58 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found this to be a gripping and informative narrative of the climatic end of the Byzantine polity, with its particular virtue is that it gives equal time to the stresses and strains in the camps of both Constantine IX and Mehmet II. Though a popular account I'm impressed that Crowley seems to have made quite a complete survey of the first-person accounts of the siege, and and makes intelligent comments on their limitations. As for the complaints that I can find regarding the book, these seem to essentially be that this is not Stephen Runciman's study of the event (which is forty years old) or not anti-Muslim enough, which is sort of missing the point of telling a balanced narrative. Particularly since it's not as though Crowley stints on examples of Mehmet's ruthlessness.

[nielsengw_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Roger Crowley weaves together a brilliant history of Mehmet II’s siege of Constantinople in 1453. Much of his prose is worthy of the best novel writers. To some, the book may be slanted toward a particular side of the battle, but the work is for most part balanced in its portrayal of both the besieging Ottomans and the beseiged defenders. The back-and-forth struggle for supremacy is extremely compelling. It is books such as this that can make history exciting for those who think it too dry. An excellent read.

[chichikov_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Goes into great detail. Good coverage of undercurrents, such as attitudes of Byzantines toward Western Christians and visa versa and reasons what many Byzantines prefered being ruled by the Turk.

[direweevil · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book someone should make a movie about. Had to read it for an Ottoman history class and was not to thrilled about doing so until I began to read it. Very good account of the fall of Constantinople and a lession to us all.